UTMB: The history and future of combatting infectious diseases
UTMB’s expertise in infectious diseases research and clinical care dates back to the 19th and 20th centuries, when the university took the lead in combatting such diseases as Yellow Fever and bubonic plague on the Texas Gulf Coast. By the 21st century, UTMB had built an unparalleled team of world-renowned experts in new and re-emerging diseases, from influenza to Ebola and Zika. This includes research on the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of coronaviruses, such as the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 illness.
Today, UTMB Health is home to highly trained physicians, nurses and other caregivers well-prepared to care for patients with infectious diseases. And, thanks to our unusually strong research expertise in coronaviruses and our unique facilities, UTMB is also at the forefront of the emergency response to the COVID-19 outbreak and is already working to understand the disease as well as to develop vaccines and therapeutics.